Alvin: The Deep Sea Research Sub

The very first deep sea research submarine that was capable of housing passengers took its first plunge in 1964. The vessel has since made over 4,600 dives and revolutionized ocean research. The submarine was named Alvin, in honor of Allyn Vine, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution engineer who envisioned the design. Alvin was capable of diving 35 feet at the dawn of its creation, but after numerous upgrades ending in 2012 the submarine has reached a maximum depth of 21,235 feet. Alvin ignited a whole new method of understanding the ocean and has contributed to the national education effort. The knowledge gained from Alvin explorations could be integrated into schools where it was taught to the youth of Generation X, which could ignite more interest in the study of the ocean.

The Computer Mouse

The first computer mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1964. He had earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Oregon and later went on to work for the Navy and NASA. During his time at NASA, he came up with the vision of a device that would allow for more flexibility and speed while operating a computer. From there, he took his ideas and talents to the University of California Berkley to begin designing what would become the very first computer mouse. It was carved out of wood and had two wheels on the bottom, one wheel would allow for vertical direction and the other for horizontal. On the top was a button that was used to make selections. This invention changed the world of computers forever. Users were now able to operate computers easier at a much faster pace and the number of tasks a computer could perform expanded exponentially. It is due to Engelbart and his idea that today's computers are able to have more advanced technologies based off of his original concept. The mouse greatly expanded the array of capabilities that computers could be used for, especially education. With faster operation and more capabilities, modern universities have taken advantage of computers and uses them for daily tasks in the classroom.

Hand Held Calculator

In the early 1960's the idea of a handheld calculator first came about, but it was not unit 1964 that a plan was put into action. Dean Toombs, the head of semiconductor R&D, put together a qualified team and lead the project. By December of 1966, they had accomplished their goal and had a working hand held calculator that consisted of 18 keys and could display up to 12 digits. It was capable of performing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This was the first of the many models of calculators that It was the efforts of Toombs and his team that allow for students of today's generation to be able to have access to calculators inside the classroom and in the palm of his or her hand while completing assignments.

ARPAnet

In the early 1960's, the idea of connecting a system of computers first came about. Paul Baran from the RAND Institute was hired by the United States Air Force to come up with a system to maintain order and control after a nuclear attack. The idea he came up with was for a message to travel along a network by any available means. The Advanced Research Projects Agency fed off of this idea not only to fulfill the military's goal, but also to be able to connect multiple research agencies. The project, now named ARPAnet, was accomplished in 1969 when the University of California in Los Angeles was then able to connect to the Stanford Research Institute, the University of California in Santa Barbra, and the University of Utah. Researchers were finally able to have a log in system at remote computers, the ability to print documents, and transfer files among computers. Even with these limited capabilities, Arpanet was viewed as a huge success and research institutions everywhere wanted to join in on the connection. The invention progressed dramatically and initiated the first form of email was created in 1971 by Ray Tomlinson. In 1990 the program was superseded by more modern technology and shut down by the Department of Defense. The invention of Arpanet changed the way universities functioned and paved the way for how reliant the Millennial Generation is on today's version of the internet in educational programs.

Educational Activism and The Space Race

The Space Race was a direct result of the American pursuit to successfully land a man on the moon as a response to Soviet Russia's first space endeavor, Sputnik 1, in October of 1957. Initially, the United States viewed the launch as a nuclear threat, but later came to understand it as a progressive movement that they needed to not just partake in, but lead. The two global powerhouses competed to be the first to achieve a moon landing for a long 12 years until the United States finally walked away the victor. Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, and Neil Armstrong became the first human to ever walk its surface. This historic event accomplished much more for America than a simple victory over Russia. It paved the way for federal involvement in education that has become so dominant in today's society. The launch of Sputnik 1 served as a wake up call for the United States. It took the American attitude of global superiority and broke it down to size. It was time to reform the stubborn educational system that operated independently prior to the Space Race. This was no small task for American politics due to the fact that the public feared government funding in education would lead to federal control of the education system as a whole. American pride won the decision favoring government involvement; people began to fear that if they didn't accept the change that America would fall behind the other powerful nations, such as Russia. The 1960's was a decade marked by programs and grants that stimulated education. Starting in 1958 with the billion dollar donation to the National Defense Education Act, the nation began to hand pick students who stuck out as gifted and place them in more advanced programs. This method changed in 1965 when President Johnson passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is known as No Child Left Behind today. Students were now given an equal opportunity for an education, allowing for advancement as a truly united nation. Also, programs in the fields of math, science, and language became the primary focus in schools in hope of creating future technological advances. These political breakthroughs changed the views of the country, and the focus of everyone became education. Even children's toys adopted the attitude as telescopes and plastic models of the human body became popular. These changes in how the United States functioned signified how interconnected education and technology really are. As a higher demand for technology arose, it became obvious where the source of the problem was. Schooling needed to be reformed for the betterment of the country and so it was done. This landmark breakthrough in American politics allowed for the government involvement in today's education system, and it has been beneficial for a large number of citizens who otherwise would not be able to receive an education. America returned to its rightful spot at the top of the food chain as students became able to climb to new heights in schooling, and eventually use the knowledge gained to further benefit the country.